


The Murdered Blonde

by iwritewhenimhappy



Series: Santa Monica, Baby [1]
Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Detectives, Case Fic, Character Death, F/F, F/M, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Slow Build, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-19
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-09-07 22:33:33
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20317090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iwritewhenimhappy/pseuds/iwritewhenimhappy
Summary: Buck doesn't want a new partner, Buck doesn't need a new partner, and yet the Captain has made it clear that he is getting a new partner no matter what; enter Eddie Diaz.





	1. One.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on tumblr.

“Detective Buckley, I need to see you in my office.” Captain Robert Nash says in loud voice as he pokes his head out of his office, eyes on Buck who looks up in surprise. He hasn’t done anything stupid lately, he really hasn’t, and so there is no reason for Bobby’s voice to be so stern. There’s no reason for him to have to see him in his modern modern office with house plants, and glass everywhere. Just being in there gives Buck the heebie jeepies a little. It’s so very professional and clean. The bullpen is anything but with perps walking in and out, but Bobby has always had a sense of authority, of being higher than the rest of them. Maybe that’s why he’s such a great Captain, but he and Buck’s sense of styles and how they operate are very different. Not that Buck doesn’t respect him.

“Ooooh.” Chimney says with big eyes as he looks to Buck from his desk next to his. Hen who’s sitting in her own desk in front of him, facing each other as they are partners, laughs.

“Not helping.” Buck says with a certain sense of sarcasm as he glares at the two. “Where’s Grant when I need her.”

“She’s out on a call.” Hen tells him with a smile that’s just a little too condescending for Buck’s tastes.

“Awesome. Well, wish me luck and if I’m dead please do come to the funeral.”

“Oh come on, buckaroo, you’ll be fine. We all know you’re Cap’s favourite.”

This does make Buck’s cheeks redden slightly as he turns away from them, not that he would tell them how pleased it makes him to hear it. He’s fond of his boss, he’s been more like friend of sorts to him if truth is being told but he won’t ever say that out loud. No way Jose. Instead he simply says in response, “shut up” to them both and walks into Captain Nash’s office. He’s sitting in his chair and Buck gives him the best smile he can manage, but Bobby doesn’t return it which makes his heart fall through his chest. It must be bad, really bad.

“Okay.” Buck says. “Should I...?”

“Sit, yes, please.” Bobby says, his hand held out to point to the brown chair set up in front of his desk.

“Listen, if this is about the donuts, then, well I didn’t know that-”

“Donuts?” Bobby asks confused and also a little curious, but thinking better of it he shakes his head and moves on. “Buck, it’s not a bad thing, okay? For once this isn’t about a complaint or a ‘constructive comment. This about your lack of a partner.”

Buck’s heart falls even deeper. No this is far worse than what it could have been. What the hell? Why now? He was having such a great day. He had coffee with this cute girl Ali this morning, had a quickie before that, and he’s going out for beer later with the others for Chimney’s birthday. Not to mention that his sister is back after three years of radio silence, why does Bobby have to bring up his ‘lack of a partner’ now?

“Cap…”

“No, buts.” Bobby says and Buck throws his hands up in the air as if to say, ‘I didn’t even say but.’ “You have had almost seven months of being on your own and I have held the higher ups off of this for most of that time but I can’t do it anymore, Buck. You need a partner.”

Buck sighs, shaking his head in disagreement. “But Bobby, I’m good on my own. We’re all a really great unit right now.”

“Buck, we’ve talked about this. You knew this day was coming.”

Buck shakes his head. “Knowing and having it happen are two very different things.”

“I know, and I’m- Buck I’m sorry about what happened with Detective Clark, but it’s time that you moved on. I know it got personal with her, but this is still a job and I have to follow through with protocol. I’m sorry, I really am but if I don’t go through with this then-”

“It’s okay, Bobby.” Buck tells him, but it really is anything but. “Who’s my new partner?”

“His name is Eddie Diaz. He’s ex-military and has strong recommendations all around. He’s been on patrol over two and half years, but got promoted after solving that restroom murder on the highway.”

“That was him?” Buck asks, totally not impressed or anything.

“Yes, and he’ll be here at three.”

“What!? Bobby, come on.”

“I’m sorry but I just got the news today too.” Bobby tells him honestly. “He’s your partner now, Buck, you’re going to have to show him the ropes. The way Detective Clark did for you, well, maybe not exactly… Um…”

Bobby trails off in embarrassment and a little bit of guilt. He shouldn’t have said anything. He knows how hard it’s been for Buck, but Buck knows he didn’t mean to and underneath it all he’s a really good guy so he puts him out of his misery.

“It’s okay. I’ll show him around.”

“Good. Oh, and before you go,” Bobby says, stopping Buck from getting up and leaving, “The next new case we have is yours.”

“Really?” Buck asks in surprise.

“Yes, you’re going to have to break in the new recruit sometime. Why not today?”

“Today?”

“It’s still early.”

Buck can’t argue with that sad truth.

-<>-

“Hello? Are you Detective Buckley?” A deep voice asks as Buck fills out paper work on a case from last week. He looks over, his eyes still down and notices the black shiny shoes that all patrol men are required to wear. The man’s pants are also black and Buck for one fleeting, terrifying moment thinks of this new Detective showing up in his patrol uniform, but thankfully when his eyes land on the broad chest he’s wearing a dark green shirt and grey blazer. His badge is on his belt and his gun on the other side peeks out slightly.

“Yes, I’m-” Buck starts to say but when his eyes land on the handsome face he loses his words slightly. His eyes are literally sparklingly and his five o’clock shadow doing wonders for the frame of his features. His smile is radiating and there’s small dusting of red on his cheeks from slight embarrassment, nerves? It’s sort of charming though and Buck can’t help but match his smile with his own.

“Detective Buckley?” He asks again, his greeting smile gone, now replaced by a confused grin.

“Uh, yeah, that’s me. You must be Detective Diaz.” Buck says as he stands up, his hand held out for the other to shake, which he does. His hand is warm and nice, and Buck almost can’t let go, but then he remembers that this is his new partner. A new partner that he didn’t even want, and adds, “It’s nice to meet you, rookie.”

Eddie shakes his head at the sarcastic tone. “Nice to meet you too.”

Buck opens his mouth to tell him that yes, this empty desk in front of his is Eddie’s now but before he can say anything Bobby’s head pops out of his office and says, “Buck! New case.”


	2. Two.

“We’re taking my car.” Buck tells Eddie as they walk into the parkade and up to his blue Honda. There’s various cars everywhere belonging to patrolmen, other detectives, and the Captains. Buck has no idea where Eddie’s car is and honestly he doesn’t really care. His car is where he’s the most comfortable and he’s arrested dozens of perps in it. It’s sort of lucky, if Buck does say so himself, and truth be told this Detective Diaz probably parked way down in the patrolmen area anyway.

“Okay.” Eddie agrees easily as Buck swings the driver’s door open. Eddie gets in the passenger door and looks around in awe. There’s a computer hooked up, pointed toward Buck, and bars on the back where perps sit. It’s really a Detective’s car and Eddie wonders when he’ll be able to have his own. Although he probably shouldn’t. Then he’d have to get rid of his car and it’s a special one designed for people like his son who need a little extra help. “I like your car.”

Buck looks over at him surprised but doesn’t let it show as he turns back to driving. Eddie sort of shakes his head, taking all of Buck’s snubs in stride. It’s just part of being the new guy, he reasons as they pull out and make their way out of the parkade. Just part of being the new guy.

-<>-

It takes forty minutes to get to the crime scene. Eddie was fully expecting it to be some alleyway or rundown house. Not that he doesn’t know that murders happen everywhere, but when he got this gig he was told it was the lower end sort of murders. That Captain Nash’s team likes to take on cases that nobody else cares about. It’s one of the reasons Eddie was keen on being on this unit. Everyone deserves to have someone to care about them, in life, and after.

“This is the crime scene?” Eddie asks as Buck parks on the street in front of the little yellow house. There’s green trees everywhere and a little flower patch in the front. There’s police cars and the medical examiners van already here, which makes sense, usually the Detectives come later. He knows this himself from being on patrol for the past two years.

“Yep, don’t pass out from excitement.” Buck says with a sarcastic grin as he steps out of the car. Eddie is quick to follow him, ignoring the jab, and they walk together up the path. Buck says hello to most of the people, but Eddie simply nods, not knowing many of them by name as this was never his jurisdiction on patrol.

“Hey, Alice, what have we got?” Buck asks as he steps into the house, talking to the medical examiner who kneels over the body. It’s a blonde woman, older mid-thirties to forties. She lays on her stomach on the hardwood floor, face turned so that she’s staring at an opposite wall with vacant eyes. She’s a bigger woman, not too big but she’s not a skinny woman either. There’s blood around her face, and defiantly comes kind of scabs or wounds along her chin and down her neck slightly. She’s got a slip on but nothing else.

“Veronica Stables, forty one. As far as I can tell there was a struggle. It looks like a cerebellar hemorrhage but I can’t be certain until the autopsy.” Alice explains as she writes something on a clipboard.

“Thanks, Alice.” Buck tells her as he kneels down to get a good look at the woman. He then pauses and looks up to Eddie who stands almost awkwardly, unsure of what he’s supposed to do. “Right, uh, rookie, ask the patrolmen what they know.”

“Rookie?” Alice asks, now looking up in surprise as her eyes land on Eddie. “And who is this?”

“I’m Detective Diaz, ma’am, it’s nice to meet you.” Eddie says before Buck can answer, causing annoyance to sweep through him.

“Diaz, the patrolmen?” Buck says with raised eyebrows.

“Right, I’ll be right back.”

As soon as he’s gone Alice looks towards Buck with a tilted head as if to say, ‘really?’

“What?” Buck says a little self-consciously. “He’s new.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to treat him like a lapdog.” Alice mutters as she gets up and starts to walk away.

“What was that? Couldn’t hear you.” Buck says with a wry smile, making Alice look back with a glare.

-<>-

“So, what did the patrolmen say?” Buck asks as he looks over the evidence inventory. Alice and her assistant Knox are bagging up the body and getting ready for transport when Eddie returns.

“They got a call from the neighbor, Alex Mallen, nineteen who cuts Veronica’s grass once a week. He came to do just that and looked through the window when she didn’t answer her door. He saw the body and called 9-1-1.” Eddie explains.

“Any disturbances reported?”

“No, well, there was a drunk and disorderly a block away but that’s about it.”

“Okay, well I guess that leaves canvassing, I’ll get them to-”

“Oh, I already sent the patrol guys to do that.” Eddie says helpfully, a little pleased with himself.

Buck looks up with that same annoyance Eddie leaves, like a muscle tick he can’t help. “Really?”

“Yeah? I mean, that was what you were going to do.”

“Right. Well, it’s time to notify the family, unless you would like to take care of that yourself?”

Eddie looks at him about to say something but Buck is already walking away out the door. Great, just great, thinks Eddie. His partner already hates him, but seriously what is his problem? He was just doing his job.

“Are you coming, rookie?” Buck says looking over to him as he’s half way out of the house.

Eddie pushes back his thoughts and tries to smile as he says, “Coming.”

-<>-

“I’m sorry, I know that this is difficult, but I need to ask you a few question about your mother.” Buck says kindly, and Eddie is surprised at how sorry he really does sound, not to mention empathetic. If he was Veronica’s daughter, he would spill his guts right then and there.

“Of course.” Maggie, the victim’s daughter says with a nod as she tries to get a hold of her grief. She has blonde hair, thinner than her mother’s but the same colour of blonde as hers none the less. Her nose is the same and her face shape is pretty similar too. The resemblance is obvious. Her husband on the other hand has dark hair and dark eyes, his hands larger than his wife’s as he holds her hand in his, giving her as much comfort as he can.

“Okay, now when’s the last time you saw your mother?” Buck asks with kind and concerned eyes.

“Uh, a month ago, I think?” Maggie says, trying to think back through the pain of her mother’s death.

“Can you tell us about that visit? Was she happy? Upset in anyway?” Eddie interjects, causing Buck to turn his head back and give Eddie a slight glare. Eddie ignores him as best as he can, his eyes trained onto the daughter.

“She was- She was very happy, actually.” Her daughter says, now smiling as she thinks of that time. “She just got a promotion. She works as a beautician you see and- and well they wanted her to take on more. She works for a company who works on movie sets.”

“That’s very nice.” Buck says. “Do you have the name of the company?”

“Of course, there’s a- a card, honey can you get it?”

“Sure.” Her husband nods before getting up and walking out of the living room to go and find it.

“Listen, detectives, me and my mother we weren’t close. Not really. But she was still my mom, you know? Please just- just find out who did this.”

“I-” Buck starts, before stopping as he remembers that no, he’s not alone anymore.

“We will.” Eddie says for him and the daughter nods grateful as fresh tears start to fall.

-<>-

“So, we’ll go talk to the company next? Her employer and co-workers, right?” Eddie asks as they get into Buck’s car.

“Right. Would you like to do this one yourself too?” Buck asks and it’s obvious that question isn’t a real question.

“Okay, man, what’s your problem?” Eddie asks, his face annoyed more than ever now. He’s had enough of this crap. It’s already been a long enough day going through evidence and then having to question a grief stricken woman. He’s tried and he needs to eat, so no, he’s not in the mood for Buckley’s crap anymore.

“Okay, you. You are my problem.” Buck says with anger, his eyes burrowing into Eddie’s from his spot in the driver’s seat.

“Me?” Eddie asks confused. “I’m just doing my job.”

“You- You don’t get to come in here and act like you’ve been here for years. Last week you were on patrol which is dangerous in its own right but it’s nothing like investigating, talking to people, and following protocol to a T, because if you don’t a murderer could walk. You have no idea what it’s like to be a real Detective, not yet. You just got here. So you should act like it.”

Eddie leans back and shakes his head. “Look, I’m sorry. I in no way meant to step on your toes. I know you don’t want a new partner, the Captain told me.” Buck looks even more outraged at that but before he can say more, Eddie is continuing. “But I’m here now and we have to work together. So I’m sorry if I’m not the perfect Detective, but I know how to do my job, and I’m not going to screw it up. We’ve been doing the same thing, just a little different. So why don’t you put your dislike for me and the situation of having a partner you don’t want away, so that we can catch the bastard who killed that woman.”

Buck looks at him carefully, still pissed and annoyed at this guy, but deciding that maybe yeah he has a point, Buck replies with, “Catching murders, I can do that.”

It’s not exactly an agreement, but it’s enough, and it makes Eddie smile at the win.

“So the company?” Buck asks as he pulls out of the daughter’s driveway. “What’s the address again?”

“24th Ave. 1287 Atta Dr.”

“Great, an hour’s drive. Why don’t we get some food to go? I’ve been craving a burger all day.”

Eddie smiles at this little win and replies with, “I could eat.”


	3. Three.

_“No, Abby!” Buck calls to her in panic as she runs out from behind her cover of the car and goes toward a block of cement. She crouches behind it, gunfire going off behind her, luckily she is not hit, but Buck feels his heart in his throat as he watches the woman he loves, his partner put her life in jeopardy. As he watches her return fire, him doing the same, he can’t help but think that she was not ready to go back into the field. Her mother just died, of course she wasn’t fucking ready. What was he thinking? What was Bobby thinking?_

_“His clip has run out.” Abby mouths to him. “I’m going in.”_

_“No. No! Abby!” Buck half whispers as she gets out behind her cover and just like a movie, a shot rings out and she goes down. Blood flows and Buck is frozen, staring as the perp gets away. “A- Abby?”_

_ But she’s already gone._

“Fuck.” Buck whispers as his eyes open, the blaring of his phone bringing him out of his slumber and the wonderful dream he was having. He sleepily rolls over and with half opened eyes reaches around his nightstand until his hand lands on the buzzing phone. “Hello?”

“Detective Buckley? It’s Detective Diaz.” The familiar voice asks.

“What?” Buck asks tiredly, then with some confusion, “How did you get this number?”

“Chimney gave it, but I’m calling about the Company Veronica was working for.”

“Right, they didn’t want to talk to us yesterday.”

“Yeah, well they got a lawyer and they’re here at the station.” Eddie explains.

“What? Wait, it’s only five why are you there so early?” Buck asks confused.

“Actually it’s ten past six.”

“What? Fuck.”

“Don’t worry, I covered for you but you need get here ASAP.”

Eddie Diaz was making it very difficult for Buck to stay angry at him. Very difficult indeed. “I’ll be there right away.”

-<>-

“I hate lawyers.” Is the first thing Buck says when he walks into the station that morning. Eddie is sitting in his own desk placed in front of Buck’s and he smiles when Buck enters.

“They’re necessary.” Eddie tells him and Buck glares. He hasn’t even had any coffee this morning yet.

Buck doesn’t respond, he just glares and sets his jacket down before heading to the breakroom to get a cup of coffee. Eddie gets up and follows him, causing Buck to roll his eyes in irritation.

“Okay, so I didn’t start the interviews but I put Veronica’s boss in one room and her co-workers in another.”

“Awesome.” Buck says as he pulls out a mug from the cupboard and gets to work making himself a cup. “I’ll take the lead.”

Eddie looks like he wants to argue but one look from Buck leaves him nodding his head in agreement. This is only his second day on the job. “Alright.”

“Good. Let’s give them half an hour to stew and then we’ll go in there.”

“What about our approach?”

“Well, we’ll talk to the co-workers first, they usually are more susceptible to talking about rumours and off the record facts. After, we’ll be more prepared to talk to the boss who no doubt will say everything is fine and good.”

“Okay, sounds good.”

“Good. Now, can I drink my coffee in peace?”

-<>-

“So, what you’re saying, Judy, is that Veronica was seeing someone?” Buck asks, sitting back as he looks through his clipboard of notes. His eyes find Judy’s and he smiles, putting her at ease. Eddie watches the interaction a little envious. He hopes he can be that good one day.

“She was, but she was very secretive about it.” Judy explains.

“What did she say about him?” Eddie asks. “What was he like?”

“Well,” Judy says blushing as she stares at the handsome face of the detective, “She thought he was very attentive and kind. He would bring her flowers randomly just to show how much he loves her. I wish someone would do that for me.”

“Well, I’m sure there’s someone out there for you who will.” Eddie says putting his most charming smile on, making Buck look at him strangely.

Judy’s blush deepens. “You think so?”

“I do.” Eddie confirms, leaning forward slightly. “So what else do you remember about this guy? A name maybe?”

“No, sorry, Detective Diaz, all I know is what I told you. She was very quiet about it. I don’t want to speak ill of the dead but maybe he was married? I don’t know why else she wouldn’t tell us his name. She was very loud about things.”

“Well, thank you for your time, ma’am. If you think of anything else, here is my card.” Buck says, handing the small rectangle over.

“Oh, uh, I thought- Maybe I could have your card too? Just in case Detective Buckley is busy and can’t answer.”

“Sorry, but I’m new here, I haven’t had the chance to get my cards yet.”

She looks down disappointed and Buck stares up at the ceiling like he wants to fall through a hole in the world.

-<>-

“So she was seeing someone and she was a good employee, a little talkative but that’s about it.” Eddie summarizes as Buck gets his second cup of the day. It’s almost noon, but Buck needs another cup after those interviews. He feels like he could pull his hair out. All of the workers, mostly women were all very similar and very flirty toward his new partner who didn’t brush it off but encouraged it. How unprofessional, is his thought as he looks for a granola bar to eat.

“Pretty much.” Buck replies. “Any ideas there, rookie, as to who this mystery man was?”

“Well…” Eddie starts and shit Buck was not expecting him to have an idea already. “Do you remember the kid who cut her grass once a week?”

Buck puts his cup down and reaches into his pocket for his notepad. He opens it and flips through until he finds the page he’s looking for, “Alex Mallen, nineteen, her neighbor, right?”

“Right.” Eddie agrees. “Well, when I talked to him with one of the patrolmen, he was upset.”

“Yeah, but he found the body, makes sense. What are you getting at Diaz?”

“I mean he was really upset which I thought was strange but I didn’t think anything of it until Judy mentioned Veronica seeing someone.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Buck says with a sigh that turns into a chuckle.

Eddie shrugs his shoulders helplessly. “It’s the only lead we’ve got.”

-<>-

“Yeah, okay, thanks Alice.” Buck says into the phone as him and Eddie sit in his car in front of Alex Mallen’s house.

“What did she say?” Eddie asks as Buck hangs up.

“They found semen in her.”

“So she was raped?”

“There was no signs of struggle other than the few hits on her face. It could have been consensual.” Buck says, thinking it over.

“Just because there wasn’t a struggle doesn’t mean that she wasn’t raped.” Eddie tells him but Buck doesn’t look all that convinced.

“Maybe.”

“Did the ME have time of death?”

“Yeah, six hours before we found her, maybe eight.” Buck tells him.

“So she was killed early that morning. Alex Mallen said he didn’t come over until three when he called 9-1-1.”

“Killers lie, but your right, somethings off. Did he seem guilty when you talked to him last?”

“He seemed off, guilty of something maybe, but that could just be whatever relationship they had.”

“If they had a relationship.” Buck says, pointing out that they really don’t know. “Okay, here’s what we do, we go in there and tell him we know they were having a relationship. I’ll come in fast and hard, you be nice, understanding. Sound good?”

“So bad cop, good cop?” Eddie says sort of jokingly, making Buck glare at him. He loses his smile and says more seriously, “Sounds good.”

-<>-

“Look, we get it, you had a good thing going with her. Maybe she wanted to end it, maybe you got angry.” Eddie says to him as they stand out on the porch of Alex Mallen’s parent’s house.

“Maybe she didn’t think you were man enough for her.” Buck intercedes.

“What? No!” Alex almost squeaks. “I- I- We loved each other.”

“You did?” Buck asks.

“Yes! We- we had dates, okay? Once a week and- and they were great. She- she just didn’t want me to be left out of all my experiences as a young adult. That’s why we weren’t really together.”

His eyes grow red as tears start to come forward.

“Okay, okay.” Eddie says, his hand coming up to land on his shoulders gently. “Did you and her have one of these dates yesterday?”

“Yes- no! We- we were supposed to.” Alex says between sniffles. “But when I got there she- she was…”

He bursts out crying and leans into Eddie who awkwardly pats him on the back. His eyes turn to Buck’s questioningly as to what he’s supposed to do. Buck only holds back a laugh and shakes his head. Eddie could really kill him. Doesn’t he see that this young guy is going through hell? He didn’t realize his partner was so cold, but then Buck isn’t trying to hold back laughter anymore. His face is serious again as he asks, “Would you submit to a DNA sample to prove it?”

“Of course, whatever- whatever you need!” Alex says into Eddie’s chest. “I’ll give you guys whatever you want.”

-<>-

“Man, I’m at a loss.” Eddie says a few days later. “If Alex Mallen isn’t the one who killed her than who is it? Did she have another lover?”

“Probably.” Buck says over the paperwork he’s filling out. “We should call the crime techs, see if there was anything in the evidence collected. Usually it takes a few days before they get through everything. They might be done now.”

“Great, I’ll call them then.”

“Woah, woah, I’ll call them.” Buck says, his paperwork forgotten as he reaches for his own desk phone.

“I know how to makes a phone call.” Eddie counters.

“Yeah, but we don’t want you flirting with the techs as well as the suspects.”

Eddie narrows his eyes. “I was only doing that to get answers. Are you jealous or something?”

“Me? Jealous? Of what?” Buck says, his cheeks suddenly very red.

“Look, man, I’m sure she would have been ogling after you if you weren’t so cranky.”

“I was not cranky.”

“Could have fooled me.” Eddie says back, but before Buck can respond the tech is answering the phone.

“Hey, it’s Detective Buckley.” Buck says into the receiver. “I’m calling about the Veronica Stables case. Case #2387A.”

A pause.

“Great.” Buck says. “Anything of noteworthy?”

Another pause.

“Seriously? Yeah we’ll be right down.”

Buck hangs up and Eddie stares at him as if to say ‘well what is it?’

Buck smiles at him, actually smiles and says, “We caught a break.”


	4. Four.

“So, what have we got?” Buck asks anxiously as he and Eddie lean on the tech’s workspace.

“Well, I went through all of the evidence, we all did and nothing was out of the ordinary as far as we can tell. The full report will be faxed to you later today and you can go through it but nothing was missing. No valuables were gone.” The tech, Lindsay, Buck’s sure is her name explains.

“So not a robbery?” Eddie says.

“No, probably not.” Lindsay answers for him. “But we did find a watch. Defiantly a male’s watch. Fairly new too, only a few months to a year old maybe.”

She takes out a black and white watch, very ordinary but defiantly expensive, out of brown evidence bag. She lays it out, and Buck with gloved hands picks it up. “Do you know what kind it is?”

“I’m working on it but I don’t think you need to way for that.”

“What do you mean?” Eddie asks.

Before she can answer Buck does, “Son of a bitch.”

“What? What is it?”

Lindsay smirks.

“It says, M. L. + M. L. Forever Baby.” Buck says with a grin. “Nice job, Lins.”

The blonde young woman blushes at the compliment and nods. “I know.”

“Wait, Maggie Lunice plus-” Eddie says, working it though out loud.

“Markus Lunice.” Lindsay supplies as Buck looks up excitedly.

“It was the daughter’s husband.”

-<>-

“This is huge.” Eddie says with a twinkle in his eyes as they walk away from the crime lab and to the elevator.

“I know.” Buck says with a grin, all annoyance and distaste for his new partner thrown out the window at their discovery.

“So, he was sleeping with his wife’s mother.”

“Mother-in-law.” Buck corrects.

“Wow that’s just… I still can’t believe the things we hear on this job.”

Buck doesn’t even correct him and point out the distinction between being a detective and patrolman. He simply says, “It’s not the weirdest thing I’ve ever had happen on a case.”

“So, we go and talk to him? Bring him in for questioning?” Eddie asks. As the elevator rides upwards back to their offices.

“No. We have enough for a warrant. We’ll take this to Bobby, get one for this guy’s arrest, and everyone’s home for a chicken dinner.”

“But we’re going to interrogate him, right?”

“All in good time, rookie.”

-<>-

“This is what you’re bringing me?” Bobby asks carefully as he leans back in his chair, Buck and his newest recruit standing in front of him with similar excited expressions on their faces. “A watch. She is his mother-in-law, he could have gone for a visit and forgot it there.”

“When we talked to him he said he hadn’t see her in months.” Buck explains, “This watch was purchased a month ago according to the Lunice’s bank records we just went over.”

Bobby looks to Eddie. “And you can corroborate this?”

“Yes.” Eddie answers immediately as that familiar irritation for his partner rises within Buck. He’s never been questioned like this before when it comes to evidence and getting warrants.

“Detective Diaz, do you mind giving Detective Buckley and I a moment?”

Eddie looks from Bobby to Buck who purposely doesn’t mean his eyes and nods, making his way out of the office. Once he’s gone, glass door shut behind him, Bobby’s attention is focused solely back on Buck.

“Bobby it’s obvious that-”

“Buck, how many times have we talked about this? Physical evidence. I know your gut is good but you have to back it up.”

“I have evidence, Cap.” Buck protests. “He lied about being there. His watch was left behind. There’s semen found that we haven’t matched with anyone yet. If we just put a little bit of pressure on him he’ll crack, and if he is innocent, which is a big if, then he’ll give up his DNA freely and we can rule him out. Come on, Bobby, this is the best lead we have.”

Bobby sighs. “Okay, bring him in for questioning. I’m not asking for a warrant, you have twenty four hours and if nothing comes of it he walks.”

“Only twenty four?”

“Buck-”

“Okay! Okay… I’m going.”

-<>-

“Please sir, can you step out of your house.” Buck says neutrally as the husband looks nervously from Buck to Eddie. His wife, Maggie, Veronica’s daughter stands behind him, obviously frightened of what’s going on, not to mention worried.

The husband, Markus, complies. He steps out and Buck is quick to put him in cuffs.

“What are you doing?” Maggie asks shrilly.

“We’re taking him in for questioning.” Buck explains as Eddie takes the perp and walks him to the car. “I suggest you call a friend to come over. This isn’t going to be easy.”

Maggie looks from Buck to Eddie, to her husband, and then promptly bursts into tears.

-<>-

“Thank you for staying.” Maggie says as she sniffles, a tissue pressed to her nose as Buck makes tea in her kitchen.

“It’s not a big deal.” Buck says a little sheepishly as he fills the tea pot and sets it on a tray with a couple of cups. He brings the tray over to the living room and sets it on the coffee table. “I’m sorry you have to go through this. Is your friend going to be here soon?”

Maggie nods and tries to speak but ends up sobbing again. “I’m- I’m sorr- sorry, excuse- excuse me.”

She runs off to the restroom and Buck watches her go, his heart saddened for what she’s going through. He reaches out for the teapot, getting ready to pour himself a cup when his phone rings.

“Detective Buckley.” He says into the receiver.

_“It’s me.”_ Eddie says. _“Are you still at the daughter’s house?”_

“Yeah, and no I haven’t seen any evidence yet.”

_“Well, I don’t think you need to keep looking. He just confessed.”_

“What? Really?” Buck asks surprised, lowering his voice slightly so that Maggie can’t hear him. “It’s been what? An hour?”

_“I know, but he did. He told us everything. You should get back here, Captain Nash wants to see you.”_

“Oh, great, okay well I’ll be back soon then.”

_“Oh, before I forget, Alice wants you to call her back. It sounded urgent.”_

“Did she now?”

_“No flirting with suspects or co-workers. That’s what you told me.”_ Eddie says a little jokingly.

“I’m hanging up now.” Is Buck’s only reply as he does just that.

-<>-

_“Buck?”_ Alice asks as Buck answers the phone.

“Yeah it’s me, what’s up? Diaz said it was urgent?” Buck asks a little nonchalantly as he pours a cup of tea for himself and Maggie whenever she gets back.

_“Okay, I was going to tell Eddie but he hung up on me before I could, something about a perp confessing? It’s not the Veronica case is it? Because then I tried calling Bobby and he didn’t answer, in fact no one was answering so I am just-”_

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Alice, what is going on?”

_“Okay, well you know DNA takes a few days, and when I took the sample from under Veronica’s fingernails it was by eyesight very similar to her own but after running it through it’s not hers. It’s someone else’s.”_

Buck’s heart falls into his stomach as he feels the floor beneath him almost disappear. It has to be the husbands, right?

_“Are you still with me?”_ Alice asks.

“Yeah, Alice, go on.”

_“Well, the reason I thought it was Veronica’s DNA is because genetically it’s very close. In fact it’s the DNA of a close relative, like her daughter.”_

“What?”

_“Yeah, defiantly female, and defiantly her daughter’s. So unless she has some other daughter running around out there-”_

“Then Maggie is the killer.”

“I really wish you hadn’t said that.” A very familiar and now steady voice says from behind Buck. “Hang up the phone.”

Buck debates briefly if he should do so when he hears the unmistakable click of a gun, and Maggie saying more urgently, “Now.”

Buck swallows and tries not to panic as he does just that. The fear, that cold hard fear that he always feels when a case gets on the bounds of dangerous is back full throttle, but he does his best not to let it over take him. Clear heart, clear body, and clear mind, something Abby used to always say.

“Now put your hands in the air slowly. Good, like that.” His hands are raised far above his head, his back still to her. “Now turn around slowly.”

Buck does just that too and comes face to face with the barrel of a gun.

“I really wish you would have gone with your partner.” Maggie says honestly.

Buck doesn’t say anything out loud, but inside he’s screaming, ‘Me too. Me too. Me too.’


	5. Five.

“Maggie, you don’t have to do this.” Buck tells her, hands in the air.

“Shut up!” Maggie says in reply, shaking the gun slightly causing her cascades of blonde hair to sway from side to side. “I want you to reach for your gun, slowly! That’s it.”

Buck very carefully, his eyes trained onto the barrel of the 38. as he reaches to his side and takes out his firearm. He holds it up as Maggie nods. “Good,” She says, “Now very slowly put it on the ground and slide it over towards me.”

Buck very briefly considers not doing that, which goes against protocol, and instead holding his gun up to hers but then he hears Bobby’s voice of all things telling him_, ‘Don’t be stupid, Buck. Do as she says.’ _And so he does. He puts the gun down and slides it over.

Maggie, eyes still trained on Buck, bends over and picks up his firearm. Black and sleek, completely opposite to the metal five chamber she has in her own hands, but now she has them both. She holds both of the guns up as her eyes turn desperate.

“I’m sorry.” She says, and for all intents and purposes she does seem sorry. “But I can’t let you leave here alive.”

-<>-

“Is Detective Buckley on his way?” Captain Nash asks as he walks into the bullpen, his eyes trained on Diaz.

“Uh, yes sir, he said he’s on his way.” Eddie replies.

“When was that?”

Eddie looks down not really sure if he should answer honestly.

“Detective Diaz?”

“It’s been a while.” He admits as he feels that sinking feeling he’s had ever since they arrested the daughter’s husband. Then, not really thinking, more reacting to his instincts adds, “Maybe I should go check on him.”

“You do that.” Is Bobby’s obviously annoyed response to his youngest Detective’s lack of appearance. Youngest in the sense of age, not on being on the job.

“I’ll go over right now then.” Eddie says a little awkwardly as Bobby nods in confirmation.

“Call me when you find him.”

-<>-

“Listen, Maggie, you don’t need to do this.” Buck insists as Maggie’s shaking arms hold up the barrel of her own gun. His gun is in her other hand, her left, hanging at her side like she forgot that she had it.

“I’m sorry, but if I left you go then you will tell everyone that it was me. I just need enough time to get away.” Maggie tells him, trying and pleading in her own way for him to understand.

“Okay, okay.” Buck says to her but also to himself. He has to buy some time. By now Bobby and maybe even his new partner will realize he’s not coming. They know where he is and they’ll come and find him. He needs to buy some time. “At least- At least tell me why. Why did you kill her? She was your mother.”

“She was a slut!” Maggie yells, the gun pointing even more aggressively at him, making Buck flinch back.

“Alright, okay, so she slept with your husband. We found his watch at her place. The one you got him, right?”

“Yeah, yeah because I thought he loved me. I thought he wanted a life with ME! But then, but then I go home and find him and her…”

Maggie’s face is disgusted, features turned up in agony and fury.

“I’m sorry.” Buck tells her. “She was obviously not a good mother.”

“Not a good mother!? She slept with my husband. When I was a child she brought home men left and right. She was a whore! A slut! But you know what? I forgave her for that.” Maggie laughs almost hysterically. “And then she goes and sleeps with MY Markus? No. No. No. She wasn’t getting away with that.”

“I understand.”

“How could you!?” Maggie says angrily and painfully.

“My- My mother wasn’t that great either.” Buck says honestly, emotion threatening to break as the fear of this situation and the past all coincide together into this one moment.

“Your mom was a slut too?”

“Not exactly, but she wasn’t good.” It’s the best way he can describe it.

“Well then maybe you can understand me, and maybe you can forgive me, too.”

She pulls the gun up more firmly and cocks it up closer to Buck’s head. The cold barrel touches his forehead and Buck closes his eyes. The adrenaline and the fear wash over him, causing his whole body to become cold like ice. So many thoughts go through his head, Bobby, Athena, Chimney, and Hen. Even Deluca and Kinard. Maddie and his new partner. Losing a partner, even if you barely know them cuts deep. He really hopes this Diaz is strong enough to get through it. He deserves to have the chance to be a real Detective, to do great. He’s good with people and maybe he has a good gut. He’ll be a great Detective one day, hopefully this doesn’t stop him from becoming that.

“Forgive me.” Maggie whispers one last time.

Buck tenses, waiting for the shot, but when it comes there is no pain; there is only blood.

-<>-

“You really had to wait until the last second to shoot her, huh?” Buck asks as he towels off the blood that spattered all over his face. Eddie looks at him both shocked and worried.

“Sorry.” He says, his eyes turned down.

“I was only kidding.” Buck says quickly, his feelings for his new partner turning to something akin to a platonic affection. “Look I- You did well out there.”

This makes Eddie look up with a smile. “Did the shot blow out my eardrums, or are you complimenting me, Buckley?”

“It’s just Buck. And don’t take it too seriously.”

Eddie smiles.

“Listen,” Buck says, now a little awkward as he moves nervously from his spot in the ambulance (part of protocol), “I gave you a hard time before but, well you can have my back any day.”

“Or you know, you can have mine, too.” Eddie’s reply is immediate and very serious as he smiles at his partner, suddenly very happy despite having to take a life, albeit it a murder’s only forty minutes earlier. It’s not the first life he’s taken and maybe he’s gotten a little too comfortable with being able to compartmentalize it easily, but Buckley- Buck, his new partner has finally, if he’s not mistaken, finally accepted him as his partner.

“So, you want to go for a beer after? Chim and Hen will probably come. The others too if they’re around.”

“Sounds fun.”

-<>-

“I’m glad you both are alright.” Bobby says to the both of them in the bullpen a few hours later, after the hospital visit. It’s no longer daylight, the sky black as the day turns into night. Chimney and Hen are standing nearby waiting for the other two to head to the bar down the street together. It’s relatively quiet in the bullpen even though the nightshift has already settled in.

“Thanks, Cap.” Buck answers. “We’re just about to go and get a beer. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Hold on.” Bobby says, causing Buck to stop frozen in his tracks. “I want to talk to you Buck, for a minute, in my office.”

Buck looks to Eddie with a shrug and follows the Captain into his office. Bobby takes a seat behind his desk, making it abundantly clear that this is serious but Buck was just splattered with blood and brain matter, he’s not in the mood. Instead he simply stands as Bobby sits and watches him for a few long moments.

“Look, Bobby-” Buck starts to say but Bobby stops him.

“No, no this isn’t about the Stables case, this is about Detective Clark’s.”

“What?” Buck asks, all the breath he has in him, leaving him. He suddenly finds himself reaching out for the chair, his eyes still locked onto Bobby’s as he pulls the chair back and sits down.

“There’s been a new lead and although this is against protocol, I knew you’d want to know.” Bobby explains as he reaches over, opens his desk drawer, and pulls out a file. He hands it over to Buck who takes it with shaky hands. He should open this privately but he can’t, he’s too curious. He needs to know, and he needs to know now.

He opens the file.

“Son of a bitch. Are you serious?”

Bobby nods gravely. “You know what this means.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it means it was an inside job. It means that day was an ambush and someone out there put it together.”

Buck looks over out of the office’s glass windows as Sergeant Grant, Detective Deluca, and Detective Kinard join Chimney, Hen, and Eddie. They’re talking happily with each other, and someone must have said something funny, because they all laugh. Buck feels a cold hard stone in his gut and an anger that runs deep. The betrayal is like acid. One of them did this. One of them got Detective Abby Clark killed.

And when he finds them, shit, they’ll wish they died with her.


End file.
